Yopougon, a municipality of Abidjan and one of its most populous districts, hosted on Saturday, August 16, 2025, the final Abidjan stop of the "Côcôcô" tour launched by Laurent Gbagbo as part of his presidential campaign.

During this gathering, the former Ivorian president and current leader of the PPA-CI, Laurent Gbagbo, publicly disavowed his supporters who had made xenophobic remarks. “I did not appreciate hearing you chant that you will put Gbagbo back in power and that the young Mossi must go back home. Do not repeat this again,” he firmly declared before a large crowd.

This was not the first time PPA-CI supporters had expressed such sentiments. During their march on Saturday, August 9, 2025, similar xenophobic and hate-filled remarks were also reported. In his speech, Laurent Gbagbo strongly rejected this rhetoric, stressing the importance of unity and mutual respect among Ivorians, regardless of origin.

Appearing on Sunday, August 10, 2025, on Nouvelle Chaîne Ivoirienne (NCI), the Republic’s Prosecutor at the Abidjan-Plateau Court, Koné Braman Oumar, reminded the public that freedom of expression—guaranteed by Article 19 of the Ivorian Constitution—must be exercised within the framework of the law, respecting the rights of others, national security, and public order.

“We are free to speak, but not to say just anything in any manner,” he insisted. He emphasized that any form of propaganda aiming to divide social groups or incite racial, tribal, or religious hatred is strictly prohibited by law. The prosecutor denounced the “linguistic excesses” observed on social media, particularly during the recent march in Abidjan, where hateful, racist, and xenophobic comments were made. He announced that all individuals identified through video evidence would be prosecuted, adding that “the end of recess” had been called regarding such threats to social cohesion.

The rally brought together several thousand supporters from the PPA-CI, the PDCI-RDA, and other opposition parties. The president of the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI), Pascal Affi N’Guessan, also attended as a guest of Laurent Gbagbo.

The former Ivorian president further voiced his opposition to the incumbent head of state, Alassane Ouattara, seeking a fourth term. “I want you to go and tell him that he will not run for a fourth term,” Gbagbo declared before an enthusiastic crowd. He clarified that he was not questioning Ouattara’s achievements during his presidency but stressed that once the work is done, it is time to hand over power. “We don’t say: because I have done things, I must stay,” he insisted.

For Laurent Gbagbo, the Ivorian Constitution is explicit: it does not allow any citizen to serve more than two presidential terms. “Why does someone think they can serve four terms here in Côte d’Ivoire? I refuse,” he said firmly. He reiterated the opposition’s determination to resist what he considers an “illegal and unconstitutional” fourth term.

“Our determination is clear and unwavering: there will be no fourth term. The Constitution is clear and precise—it prohibits any citizen from serving more than two terms,” he reminded the crowd, in a tense political climate marked by debates over the electoral process.

This rally took place less than three months before the presidential election scheduled for October 2025. Although Laurent Gbagbo remains ineligible due to his conviction, he continues to present himself as a candidate, mobilizing his supporters around the issues of constitutional respect and presidential term limits. The Yopougon rally illustrates the opposition’s determination to uphold its principles against what it perceives as a drift of the current regime.